Popdiatry would like to thank Carl Landerholm, president of the Brockton Historical Society for giving us an exclusive tour of the Brockton Shoe Museum on the last day of 2014.
A cobbler’s workbench and tool set as seen at the Brockton Shoe Museum
The museum- located 45 minutes south of Boston in Brockton Massachusetts– contains exhibits that trace the history of American shoe manufacturing with machines, products and ephemera from pre-revolution ’til Y2K. With permission, I’m sharing a few pictures.
Behold the Krippendorh Kalculator as seen at the Brockton Shoe Museum
The machine above, a Krippendorf Kalculator, was used to maximize leather surface cutting as in the manner shown below by enabling super precise measurements per piece.
The Brockton Shoe Museum is currently open twice a month (every other Sunday) or by special appointment.
The Brockton Historical Society,Inc.
216 North Pearl Street (Rte. 27)
Brockton, MA 02041
(Exit 18B off Route 24)
508-583-1039
Encased in glass, pardon the reflection-
Brockton Shoe Museum: Shoes worn by former US presidents George Bush and Gerald Ford
Among other notable donations, they have footwear displayed from four US presidents as well as ones worn by boxers Rocky Marciano and Primo Carnera.
Brockton Shoe Museum: Sneakers worn by former US presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy CarterBoxing shoe worn by champion fighter Rocky Marciano
A couple of imaginative designers have come up with a system that’ll create a pair of kicks faster than an orthodontist can mold a dental retainer.
The system is called Don’t Run, and is the beta design project of Eugenia Morpurgo and Juan Montero from Europe. A laser cutting machine and some 3D printing guided by computer numerical control lets a creative person participate in making their own shoes like never before.
A single cut piece of leather is folded over over a sandwich of custom cut sole materials connected by small pegs that resemble board game pieces.
The whole enchilada is then secured by a shoelace, which also serves as stitching for key points on the upper. No glueing or machine sewing is involved.
Example of some finished Don’t Runs
The mobile “factory” resembles more of a print shop, with leather instead of paper, ethylene vinyl acetate instead of cardboard, and spools of lace instead of staples.
http://www.dontrun-beta.com/
The system has been travelling around in the mode of an art exhibit, with accomplished designers taking a swing with their own blueprints. It’s certainly the beginning of an interesting experiment. I can’t picture your jogging sneakers of hiking boots being replaced by what is more of a beefed up slipper, but the Don’t Run model shows what is possible using fresh technology. Along with showcasing a streamlined model of production (therefore consumption), it may make going to brick and mortar shoe shops exciting to a new-school consumer who would just assume click “buy” on a Zappos app.
Probably not, as they’re brand new. This Berlin company Kickstarted itself into existence with a classic concept (quality materials, handcrafting) and an authentic open kitchen approach (check out their site) to why they deserve to be purchased by you (me), in a world where consumers become converts to global sneaker gods.
Atheist doesn’t believe in any shoe
The Atheists are made in Guimarães Portugal, using high grade Nubuk, calfskin, and other leathers.
An Atheist shoe begins with 3 pieces of natural, unprocessed leather
They even make a vegan imitation leather option for your vegan friends (you’re still friends right?). Their website is a great read in itself. As an American barraged by the billboards of Broadway daily, I find Atheist’s campaign to be refreshing in its honesty, and entertaining with its info.
Skechers has made an endorsement deal with a horse.
Image from photo by Anthony Gruppuso, USA TODAY Sports
Skechers, a marketing company that just happens to be in the footwear business, has draped California Chrome with this blue training blanket and a big sponsorship deal for the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York this weekend. Of course Mr. S will not be wearing two pairs of Skechers on the track. The crew will don the sneakers, and if Chrome wins, expect to see all Skechers everything everywhere. For information on the actual horseshoes attached to California Chrome’s hooves by an equine footwear blacksmith click here.
This popdiatribe is going, going, done! Check back soon~ C
Still image from the Young Liars “Night Window” video directed by Nathan Boey
Designer Satsuki Ohata was inspired by cheese dip to create a new concept in minimalist footwear that may perfectly match your foot by “dipping” it in liquified polyvinyl chloride.
Images from Satsuki.co
These have been created around a foot mold, but Satsuki hopes to develop a dip & dry kit so we can safely make our own Fondue Slippers at home. Something like this:
And then:
Images from Satsuki.co
Footwear Industries of Tennessee Inc. (FIT USA) just opened a brand new footwear manufacturing plant in Jefferson City, TN. The 40,000 square foot facility will be making a line of men’s work and hunting boots, complete with soles fabricated on location by a state-of-the-art direct-injection molding machine.
FIT USA plant images from WATE.COM
Inventor/videomaker Colin Furze is bringing X-Men powers to life in his Lincolnshire garage. Weeks after he had the net going nuts over some convincing Wolverine claws, he’s back with a D.I.Y. version of Magneto’sboots that enable standing on a (metal) ceiling.
Don’t try this or the PVC dip thing at home without expert supervision! Have a nice weekend.
Last Friday, while you were thinking about dinner and I was working sound at a theater in Manhattan (wear-testing a pair of Injinji toe socks*), the United States Department of Defense made a move toward ensuring that service members are outfitted head to toe with gear made in the USA. The Berry Amendment was introduced 73 years ago to promote the purchase of certain U.S. goods. Over the years, exceptions were made when it came to military training sneakers. Boots were an issue item, but most service members wore their choice of trainers. These New Balances pictured are made in Maine using soles, uppers, textile parts, and straps sourced from Massachusetts- plus laces made in Rhode Island- making it a Berry Amendment compliant product. This NB 950v2 athletic shoe is being tested by the military and may soon become available to recruits via their vouchers. U.S. Congressional reps Niki Tsongas (D-Mass), and Mike Michaud (D- Maine) were instrumental in pressuring the D.O.D. to get it right with Berry. Michaud is a bigger New Balance head than you, and even sports made-in-USA blue and yellow New Balances while campaigning for Governor. Wolverine Worldwide, who already provides Berry-compliant boots through their Bates brand, and New Balance are currently the only American companies capable of producing competitive sneakers in the US. Now that Pentagon officials have made this announcement, other brands may consider rekindling their domestic production in order to compete for these military voucher bucks.
I never heard of the evil stepsister procedure until reading Laren Stover’s piece in the New York Times. “Make them fit, Please!” is something women have been saying to foot doctors in regards to outrageously impractical high-heeled footwear. Electivecosmetic foot surgery is a thing, and there are procedures ready to treat high heel foot, hitchhikers toe, toebesity and other man-made ailments that are keeping sufferers from comfortably wearing Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, and Christian Louboutin products. Get a load of the comments after the article as well.
Voting is now open for the 5th annual Vans Custom Culture Art Competition. Vans, who dropped some Star Wars gear this week, sends blank white shoes to 2000 high schools across the country so art classes can battle for design supremacy (and resources for their art programs).
Did you know VIbram has a line of FiveFingers for golfers?
V-Classic LR: Not your dad’s golf shoes
* I went my first day wearing some Injinji toe-socks under some New Balance walking shoes. I was moving around all day with them and like that they allow some splay.
Though shiny thong sandals were on Alison Ernst’s feet, it was an orange and black athletic shoe that she chose to pull from her purse and throw at Hillary Rodham Clinton last Thursday during some industry convention speech in Las Vegas. If the flying shoe was an Asics, Adidas, New Balance, NIke or Puma, it could have been made at a Yue Yuen Industrial factory in China, Vietnam or Indonesia. Those wondering how a seemingly infinite stream of new styles from the world’s biggest brands appear on shelves with such rapidity- consider Yue Yuena manufacturing power pitcher- employing over 400,000 workers to meet brands’ needs, and faraway demands of sneaker super-consumers camped in long lines outside stores on new-release eves.
Law enforcement meets workers. On the other side of the world they meet buyers.
Monday, at a Yue Yuen production facility in China’s Guangdong province, a number of thousand workers organized a strike. Issues pertaining to pay, social security, and other workplace concerns landed on the negotiating table. Read what U.S. based not-for-profit organization China Labor Watch announced about the situation. One wonders what a Yue Yuen worker might think if they’d seen coverage of a Supreme Nike Air Foamposite release in New York City a couple weeks ago that was shut down due to safety concerns (crazy line). Whether supplying in Guangdong or demanding on Lafayette Street, I’m confident things will proceed in a peaceful, fair direction. There’s never been a better time to be cognizant of the true purpose of footwear- the truth of what you’re buying and making. What does it mean to you? Does your relationship to a certain brand come from deep within? More likely, it’s a certain style you like. Let your sensibilities guide you.
Less more much? LIke what you like. Explore best versions of styles you gravitate toward.
A liar is someone who claims they never searched for the perfect shoe. Why pay attention to the craft of your footwear the way you pay attention to your health? They are you. That nicely boxed product could be an investment, not disposable socks with tread stuck on them to be Ebayed or Craigslisted- rather like property or hairstyles that flux with you. Popdiatry imagines footwear as an almost extra skin. Like horse’s hooves, they become your exo-layer on this giant treadstone Earth, providing shelter for two vessels requiring air, water and sun. Think of our ancestors walking long before the days of branding. What would they think of Old Navy two dollar flip-flop sales ? Would they think we’re brilliant eagles for selling a pair of foam-molded vessels on an electronic-bidding site?
It may help dodging flying shoes if you avoided wearing high-heels like the ones pictured in the coming-soon image for “Killer Heels: The Art of the High-Heeled Shoe “- an exhibit exploring chopines, stilettos and life showing this September at Brooklyn Museum (curated by Lisa Small). Killer like killer app, not killer like the Texas woman who was convicted last week of killing her boyfriend using a high-heeled shoe for a tomahawk. Apparently, certain types of high-heels contain a mysterious power that raises wearers’ superego- if not center of gravity- while increasing the risks of injuring the ankle and/or developing knee osteoarthritis. The taste for danger explains a little. From what I hear these babies are often uncomfortable, and unsupportive to the point you’ll see gals barefooting through public parks carrying rather than sporting. Even Dr. Scholl’s compares them to evil monsters in their new Dreamwalk insoles for women advertisements.
Dear Dr. Scholl, I would like a prescription for one Dreamwalk promotional USB stick to give to my aunt for Christmas.
Image from http://instagram.com/evcurlgurl
What do I like? What you like. There is no right shoe.
In a continuing effort to foster understanding about why humans wear mega-heels for prolonged periods, I look forward to watching some of the short films that will be presented along side the objects at the Brooklyn exhibit. Hopefully no one will be buzzed by a flying platform shoe, or threatened by that Louboutin Printz; wearing some protective gear couldn’t hurt- maybe some boots with wings would emit mercurial yin for the high-heeled yang, and enable flights to neverland- a world where everyone has a few really great pairs of shoes and the people who made them are happy.
Spotted at Brandhunters “Night of Fashion” – Curtis and his tricked out boots
Hopefully you are happy with your footwear. Why suffer for or of it?
“How Are Sneakers Made?” by Henry Horenstein (1993, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers), is a picture book that takes readers through the creation of sneakers- specifically the Converse All Star– at a former Converse factory in Lumberton, North Carolina!
I remember around the turn of the century when I heard that Converse would no longer be producing their All Star shoes in the USA. The company had been rescued from a brush with bankruptcy and would soon be purchased by Nike. I picked up a couple pairs of the all black high tops and kept them in my bullpen.
A worker machine presses soles ro uppers at the old Converse factory in North Carolina. Scanned from the book “How Are Sneakers Made?” by Henry Horenstein (1993 Simon and Schuster)
I thought All Stars were good for BMX freestyle bicycling. Their lack of girth around the foot and archless flat rubber soles made dancing on the pedals, tires and stunt-pegs more natural, as opposed to bulkier basketball-type sneaks.
A worker dips an All Star toe in adhesive for toe-cap attachment.at the old Converse factory in North Carolina. Scanned from the book “How Are Sneakers Made?” by Henry Horenstein (1993 Simon and Schuster)
When I became more of a mountain-biker in the 00s, All Stars remained on the roster. Whenever I tried to walk far wearing them, the tongues would always slide to the outer side of my foot- even when wearing proper socks. I started to get into footwear with more developed leather uppers and advanced footbeds.
A worker pokes metal eyelet washers into an All Star at the old Converse factory in North Carolina. Scanned from the book “How Are Sneakers Made?” by Henry Horenstein (1993 Simon and Schuster)
My last pair of Made-in-the-USA All Stars “died” a couple years ago. I cut them apart in reverse to see how they were constructed (before Michael from Allston Massachusetts gifted Popdiatry with this excellent book).
All that remains of my last All Stars
If I desire the All Star body again, I would probably go with some Etikoclones. Etiko, not to be confused with Ekito, is a post-millennial shoe and clothing company that pays special attention to fairtrade issues, and goes for eco-friendly manufacturing practices. Since I walk a lot these days, the flat arch design of this type of shoe is not optimal; but for certain activities like bike riding, weight training, or just lamping, the classic no-frill design of a “Chuck” may be just what the podiatrist ordered.
No sooner did I press “publish” on my post about fraying-pant-leg-conditiona few weeks ago, then I discovered these Atlas boots from shoe company Artola:
Frayed pant legs no more
Their design incorporates a molded leather heel piece that keeps sagging pant legs from scraping the ground. Thumbtack guy take note.
Not long after Tony Wroten’s Nike Jordan sneaker fell apart during an NBA game last week, rumours hit the net that the Jordan brand itself may discontinue in 2015. “There is absolutely no truth to this rumor…” according to Michael Jordan’s Business Manager Estee Portnoy (via smokingsection.net). What’s unclear is if MJ personally called Wroten’s agent to apologize for the sneaker blowout. NBC Sports says that didn’t happen.
Pharrell Williamshooked up with Adidas, New Balance dropped some Golf shneakers, Terra Nova was awarded a contract from the Canadian government to manufacture boots for Canadian armed forces at the company’s factory in Harbour Grace. Here in the US, American footwear manufacturing is lobbying congress over the Berry amendment, which roughly states that the Department Of Defense is required to give preference to domestically produced, manufactured or homegrown products, especially foods, clothing, fabrics and certain metals. An exemption to that amendment includes athletic shoes, which aren’t considered military-issued uniform pieces. Soldiers are wearing their own Nikes, Adidas, and other kicks not made in the U.S.A. while training. Wolverine, New Balance, Danner and Lacrosse have all come forth with compliant products that are 100% made in the U.S.A. and are relying on a growing expectation that U.S. service members should be equipped in U.S.-made gear. Read details in the International Business Times.
